10 Star Trek Actors Who Became Directors

4. Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy Directing
CBS Media Ventures / Paramount Pictures

Leonard Nimoy's journey to the director's chair is rather intriguing - especially as it very nearly didn't happen. While filming The Wrath Of Khan, an urban legend surrounding the actor began to creep along - namely that he demanded to be killed off so that he could escape Star Trek.

When production on The Search For Spock was being organised, Nimoy waited for some time for Michael Eisener, then-head of Paramount Studios, to get back to him about the job of director. When the meeting eventually took place, Eisener was adamant that Nimoy shouldn't get the job - based on the aforementioned rumour.

Nimoy was a little shocked, but he was happy to debunk the idea that he hated Star Trek. The ink was quickly dried on the contract and he took over the reins. He would of course direct the following film as well, The Voyage Home, which performed so well that Paramount decided to attempt another live-action series.

Now, if only that had taken off, who knows what Star Trek might have become?

 
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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"